How criminals are using mobile banking to steal from your bank account I 13 Investigates

Robb Fine and Harold Wilson have never met, but they have a lot in common.
Both men own small businesses in Indianapolis. Both work long hours to make their companies successful. And both have lost thousands of dollars due to recent check fraud.
“They’re stealing the checks right out of the mailbox,” Wilson said. ”It’s a big deal. The first four checks they stole are about $12,000.”
MORE: www.wthr.com/article/news/inv...
By: Bob Segall
#MobileBanking #Theft #Investigation #WTHR » Watch more WTHR 13News:Watch Live and On-Demand Videos on WTHR | Indianapolis, Indiana | wthr.com
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[@Gooddog1]

Make all banks accountable and you'll see how quickly they make it right.

[@potatosalad9519]

exactly

[@annbet3684]

They don't

[@RobertFifer-ex5vy]

😢r

[@JadeKrape-be5wo]

Arize federal credit union

[@hello_its_me.]

​@@RStark-ek7mh6th don't use banks. 7th hide your money in a shoebox under the bed. 8th only handle money in covert operations. 9th never leave your residence to make any purchases.

[@melanie7781]

Criminals find a way to ruin everything for everyone.

[@madvidz9819]

And they always will...until the end of the end of days...even if its all deposited by microchip in your brain hand or whatever else...they will. This old World system.

[@autumnbabii16]

I swear

[@SergioMartinez-tp7fp]

Gotta do my homework😁✅💰

[@fwu-finallywakingup6033]

The ones running the top are the most corrupt of them all in that case

[@tbeautifulmelodies9820]

Yet, they don’t want it done unto them!!! Smfh! Make it make sense!!!!

[@lucrtrvl]

When the criminals open their bank account the bank has their DL, their SSN, their home address. How hard is it to locate and to punish the criminal having all this info?

[@oneloveboob]

They forge the documents too, not their real license etcetera

[@TickleMyResearch]

Yeah they buy synthetic IDs online and then make fake documents they use for account opening

[@USAnana]

I think there is criminal work in the bank combine with those outside criminals

[@Luke6thirtyone]

Incorrect 😂 I work in this department responsible almost two decades. Unfortunately when a bank thinks it’s smart to allow online bank account opening, is where these criminals do it. You aren’t receiving real information but someone’s compromised information is the names they do it in. So your suspect is actually another victim. Don’t allow online account opening then this should decrease big time.

[@oneloveboob]

@@Luke6thirtyonetrue, but forging checks has been around since checking accounts became a thing.

[@christopheroakley6476]

I had mobile banking before the pandemic and if there was anything wrong with a check from dust to the wrong lighting the app would reject the check. Your banks sound like scammers.

[@iwillsurvive1335]

Exactly

[@desmondjefferson2127]

1000% I am programmer and this is all the issue of the systems accepting the wrong address on a scan, just to start.

[@jamesbuttery3862]

Maybe not every person banks with the bank you bank with lol. They all have different security protocols in place

[@soxpuff]

Same

[@pt8648]

Agree 100%.

[@Spartan33333]

Banks can track the money transactions and could help to locate the criminals but they look like they are with the robbers' side

[@astairawood9189]

They do cause mainly they are the robbers👏

[@midwestking2490]

U obviously don’t know how fraud works 😂

[@lizo7194]

The banks are the ones having to foot the bill for fraud. For now at least.

[@midwestking2490]

@A H u obviously don’t kno how easy it is to make a fake bank account clown

[@chuckyyes]

@@midwestking2490

[@Mike-fn7rx]

“It’s just not cost justified to look at every check.” He said with a straight face even though banks used to do exactly that when you had to cash them in person.

[@jamesbuttery3862]

Not hundreds every hour. I'm sure the amount of checks coming in through mobile banking is 10x the amount that we're coming in through the doors of a physical bank.

[@miketech79]

Janes the point is that the verification can be done in person as the number of checks are distributed to multiple bank employees.

[@rongendron8705]

Very true!

[@joycesmith8120]

I don't trust technology

[@justsomeguy6133]

That’s because they have the staffing to do it when you cash it in person in front of a teller, but don’t have the staffing to do it for the thousands and thousands of checks that clear through the fed every night.

[@roachtoasties]

This happened to me years ago. I wrote a check for just $25 to pay a bill and mailed it. The check was removed from the mailbox and changed to $825. The bank did refund my money but also made me change my checking account number. Since then, I do not mail checks in any blue USPS mailbox. The bad guys fish out the mail or may even have a stolen postal key to get inside. I mail checks inside the post office.

[@sunlite9759]

Mail is stolen before leaving the PO.

[@ToboeKey309]

Thats your fault 🤷 u can pay bills online 🙄

[@ebeb516]

@@ToboeKey309getting rid of cash and checks and having everyone digital is the goal but isn’t in the best interest of the people . Wait until nobody uses cash anymore and the power grid gets hacked . People are going to find out real quick how much crazy is living in plain sight . Some places in the world are already passing laws making large cash purchases illegal. Paying bills online still leaves you vulnerable to fraud .

[@timafiggy]

You can also pay bills over the phone.

[@E3ECO]

Good idea. I do use those blue mailboxes, but I also live in a small town. Perhaps I should stop doing that. Maybe everyone should be required to use those locked cluster boxes.

[@rickythomas128]

I don't understand this myself. I'm a legit guy, and I tried to cash a real check from work recently using this app, and it would not go through! I went through 7 check cashing stores, and none of them would cash it. It was a real check and everything was on the up and up, but I still felt like I was a criminal or something (or at least that's how I was treated). Then I see this video and I think.... It figures! Just like the banks! Treats the working man like a criminal, then turns around and treats the criminals like they are valued customers. The banks and the bankers deserve every bad thing that happens to them.

[@Gooddog1]

Think about it this way, blood is thicker than water, birds of a feather flock together. Bankers and criminals are one in the same that is why they treated you that way. Stop thinking like a "legit guy" and think like a criminal and you will save yourself a world of trouble. P.S don't break the law or commit crimes just think how you would do if you wanted to commit fraud black hat.

[@Carolinapetroska]

That's the irony of the whole thing. The more they try to progress the worse it becomes....

[@conigjo62]

Big banks will adsorb the loss rather then go after the crook. The term for this is called Check Washing. I had it happen to me. I was actually able to trace mine to an employee in a doctors office when I wrote a check for a copay. I gave the bank ALL the information . The exact location (address !!!) date, everything that would have allowed them to arrest the person. The bank (A very large one) did NOT even bother to follow-up. The gave me back the $ and let it go. That is part of the problem. These thief's know they will never be prosecuted.

[@Bob-kt5jn]

Shocking. It is not worth using checks anymore. Buy a money order instead.

[@ernec.5326]

So banks do replace their lost money to the victim of the fraud?

[@kevinjoseph7556]

I never put paper checks in the mail. My paper check was stolen at the post office someone cashed the check mobile. Never put a paper check in the mail, thieves work at the post office

[@oooloo99]

Well not many thank God. But yes there are people with the PO that intentionally target individuals. Messing up people's credit reports.

[@cathylong4031]

agree, thieves even stole the decoration outside my mailbox.

[@Jenniferkayhart]

They work at banks too.

[@cbiii]

There's lot of fraud online too!

[@Jenniferkayhart]

@@cbiii there's a lot of fraud

[@hblee88]

I discovered ten (10) copies of my "fraud proof" business checks cashed by unknown payees with no ID. I asked the bank how they cash check without proper id. They didn't have an answer. Now I know why. It was necessary to file each fraudulent check with police department before bank finally credited the $10,000 fraudulently debited from my account. Amazing how a large national bank can be scammed like this.

[@banklog7495]

He’s simply a genius at detecting scam, he’s the best Lifesaver

[@grandmalovesmebest]

Harrison, you would have a stroke if you knew how much of this is being done by bank employees recruited by criminal organizations.😡

[@teresakatrinak8158]

No idea how a check would be cashed without an id.

[@JohnS-er7jh]

@@teresakatrinak8158 they do this all the time, people are lazy or apathetic.

[@timafiggy]

​@@JohnS-er7jhor in on it.

[@juliabaumer8315]

Banks are supposed to hold very large amounts on checks until cleared because of fraud

[@amechealle5918]

Banks make money off their customers. As a customer, when a bank security specialist says it’s not cost effective to check every check, I realize the BANK DOESN’T NEED MY MONEY ANYMORE! Good thing I escaped my dependency on anything more than the basics in banking.

[@maryricketts7337]

I don’t know why anyone would have one of those old style mailboxes that don’t lock. Mailbox thieves are prevalent where I live. When I’m mailing a check, which I do for two bills per month, I put them in the mail slot in the post office lobby.

[@Xorcist777]

What if it gets to be taken from inside the post office, then what?

[@lamia.thira.lowenstein]

people used to be good. we never had to lock our first door (we have a second locked one right after that under a shelter) so that we dont have to stand outside keying in when it's cold. now we do coz people just come in and try picking our locked door in the comfort of a heater

[@aclem8246]

This happened to me. A check taken from my mailbox and altered. They got me for $6000. This is rampant now. Best to pay all your bills through your banks bill paying option so there are no paper checks to mail and money is transferred directly to the vendor. Do it thru your bank. Do not do it thru your vendor. You do not want to give vendors your bank info because this can also put you at risk of someone at the vendors selling your information to a thief. Just do bill pay thru your bank setting up each vendor account thru your bank and pay bills that way.

[@keilana6]

I do set them up but Dr. office still messed up my account payment. Said it wasn't paid when it had been. Had everything covered in Bill Pay but companies are sliding into automatic w/d & sneak it in when previously there was a choice.

[@alaunawhite5568]

a bank unknowingly cashed a check for $400+ dollars and I didn’t know until I looked back at my statements for different purposes. Shit is ridiculous

[@BonnieHalfElven]

This happened where I work, though the "cut and paste" was much more seamless. They lifted the ink and put new ink down. We happened to catch it right after it cleared, because the vendor was calling asking about the payment. When I looked at the check online, I saw the altered name and address. It took the bank awhile to fix it, even though I reported the fraud right away. I even googled the guy's name and address and found more information that I also gave to the bank. It was one check for just under $10K. I still remember the guy's name, and it was over ten years ago.

[@annbet3684]

Gel pen

[@krjourneyfan78]

Folks, a locking mailbox or a PO Box is the only way to keep your mail safe these days. Everyone should use Informed Delivery, a no cost service from the post office, so that they can see what mail is coming to them.

[@shesit318]

With my financial institution, we view each and every check and would never accept these mobile deposits. The font is different so that's a red flag. I would immediately reject this and put a note on their account with this information. That was too obvious🤦🏾‍♀️

[@daniellarodriguez1801]

Unfortunately sometimes it's not that obvious

[@ifagbemiogunspiritualheale9125]

May the god of Ògún heal you .. I have a message from your ancestors

[@LetsDanceTampa]

That's the problem ..they were using computers and not HUMANS.

[@Prolificposter]

A bank like Chase processes hundreds of transactions per hour, there no way they could inspect every check. Maybe over the counter in a branch, otherwise no.

[@deekang6244]

@@ProlificposterThe automated system should flag something that is “written in”.

[@ILovePancakes24]

The bank is clearly liable.

[@andermom6917]

I feel like I can totally not trust sending anything of value through the US mail. Stuff gets stolen even after they have it in their hands. Too scared to send cash or check to recent graduates. Am having to send a paypal payment to their dad. Really sad.

[@gbaker9295]

I think the postal service has $$ sniffing dogs. Ha! But seriously.. if you're gonna send cash, be sure it's in a business #10 envelope and wrap it in newspaper or something dark. Birthday card envelopes are often targeted. I know. I've sent cash across the state and it was stolen. 300 miles to a locking mailbox. That was postal carrier / sorter theft

[@nancyinthegarden3160]

You might try sending it via return receipt requested That way they know it’s being monitored and the carrier is on the spot

[@lisa9867]

@@gbaker9295 I frequently send my grandchildren cards and I put a $20 in the card. So far they have gotten all the cards and money. I never put anything greater than a $20 in the card. I always mail my cards inside the post office.

[@lisa9867]

@@nancyinthegarden3160 Most of the theft is committed by clerks. I was a carrier for 30 years and in all that time we never had a carrier accused of mail theft. We did have several clerks who stole mail and were fired. Also there are a lot of hold ups of carriers these days. If someone put a gun in my face for the mail I would have to let them have it.

[@theyclosechannelsthatspeak428]

They did it to my PayPal cash card. They backdated false charges from places that I did use but not on those dates. Go back months and check your charges. I didn't notice it until I went back a month and saw charges in Santa Monica the days I was in San Diego at the time. They got about 90 dollars a month. They do it in small increments so you don't notice it. I got all my money back but stopped using all my debit cards.

[@koreyb]

Yes. I never use a debit card for anything other than withdrawing cash at an ATM. I learned the hard way on that.

[@aclem8246]

Banks can trace bad checks After You Report Them. You should be reviewing your bank statements on line weekly so that if there is anything fishy you can catch it right away. You should also have your bank send you an email alert every time there is a transaction over $100 so that you are alerted but don't rely on this alone because some times that system is down.

[@SergioMartinez-tp7fp]

It’s not as simple as you think. A lot goes into fraud lmao. More than you would expect.

[@abarzua21able]

I do. I had someone try and purchase airline tickets, but declined because the person put the wrong expiration date. and I was able to quickly turn off transaction and stop my card and get a new card. I want to know where and who took my debit card info.

[@sierrajade63]

PayPal does that,and that's how I found out that someone hacked into my acct through PayPal. PayPal reimbursed my money then canceled my acct because of suspicious activity that was their fault.

[@caesilva9844]

We should do more cash transactions. We pay and are done. Medium to big Businesses ok to have banking uses.

[@ginger6582]

No, banks can't trace bad checks after you report them. Detectives can't trace them either. I know.

[@Carolinapetroska]

How irresponsible the banks can be. Unbelievable and foolish.

[@BeowWulf]

Meanwhile, I can barely log into my accounts with all the screwed up verification settings I keep running into.

[@mosesmutwiri8710]

This is traumautizing how mobile banking is becoming more of a threat to fraud. This gutys should be apprehended

[@aulebb1968]

I never use online banking on my laptop nor do I use mobile banking on my cellphone. When I ordered items online I buy a Visa gift card for the amount of my purchase. This way if the card is compromised, they won't be able to get any funds as I used the entire dollar amount on my order. I worked in the Security Industry for 20yrs and have seen how theft of credit cards or debit cards effect someone's credit and way of life afterward. When using online banking, always read the small print of all terms and companies policies regarding fraud charges and what your are responsible for. Some companies are misleading with the policy of fraud and you may be responsible for charges on your card. Technology can be amazing but it can also be devastating as many Americans have experienced over the years.

[@margaretmcnamara2717]

I write checks out for my utilities and for my car insurance do you think if I went and bought a Visa gift card or another kind of money card with a certain amount on it do you think I could still pay my bills with that card period

[@margaretmcnamara2717]

I know it's 2024 but some of us are in our 70s and 80s and we're having a difficult time with this online payment so we still depend on our checks. But I have had money orders that I have mailed to my creditors which were lost in the mail and even though I had my receipt and a copy of my money order there is so much Hocus Pocus to try to get your money back just saying

[@calidreams5379]

Are these criminals depositing to offshore bank accounts? If not, shouldn’t the funds be traceable to someone? Even if it’s a mobile bank account, shouldn’t the bank verify identity of account owner?

[@jilljohnson2457]

Yup but it happens all the time! They steal money before you know it’s coming to you!

[@kiltec223]

But everyone the account fake

[@nancyinthegarden3160]

Nothing is verified anymore. I can’t understand why banks don’t use security codes in each acct holder before processing anything. Especially if it is through mail, computer, mobile banking.

[@nancyinthegarden3160]

This is simple negligence on banks. They can write off soo much money in fraudulent transactions. If I was still in banking, this would not happen. PERIOD

[@dennisseo355]

probably deposit into accounts opened with stolen identity, then wire or transfer to untraceable off-shore bank, I guess.

[@hermanrogers1325]

Yep it seems like the bank and the crooks are working together. My bank has encouraged me to bank online on many occasions but I said no thanks I will do my banking in person never online. Because there’s too much begging panhandling and scammers

[@annbet3684]

Eventually you will have no choice

[@stevegold2717]

All mobile deposits, should be held by the depositors bank for 3 days after clearing. This is will give time for people to notice the fraud , and inform their bank to get the money back. Check your accounts daily

[@koreyb]

I like that idea. I have my checking account set up to send me a text message alert any time a check transaction or any transaction goes through and the amount of the transaction so I know immediately, and I would freeze my account right away once I noticed any fraud. I have the same alerts set up for my credit card accounts. And I never use my own mailbox to mail a check. In the very rare event when I write a check and mail it, I go to one of the big blue mailboxes to mail it.

[@BlueAngeluv]

@@koreyb But it wouldn't be your account the money goes into.

[@koreyb]

@@BlueAngeluv the criminals don't put money into your account. They try to take it out of your account. I have my bank and credit card accounts set up to send me a text message immediately when ANY transaction occurs. If someone starts using any of my accounts in any way, I will get a text message immediately and I can freeze my accounts to stop them from making any other transactions. And when I know I am not going to be using my bank or credit card, I put a freeze on them which stops anyone else from using them as well.

[@nohemivasquez4909]

Also the bank should ask for the physical check to clear out before payment.

[@realg1804]

Bank of America puts checks on hold for a couple of days and I think some other banks do as well

[@iCloud867]

I need to contact the investigator for those who serve in check fraud.

[@TheRightWay003]

I’ve had this happen to me, and to my puny 16 year old brain it seemed convincing, but know at 20 I realize their to good to be true. Never fall victim to these. It was a 6,000 dollar check, and it still sucked to lose all that money.

[@danoakes4071]

Criminals are working as Bank Tellers and Supervisors. If a bank acts like your money is their money, pays little or no interest, and has fees for keeping your money, change banks. A National Bank headquartered in Delaware is another major red flag.

[@williampapadopoulos8145]

Mobile banking ought to be abolished until they can come up with better security controls…which they can’t.

[@tinamoore4310]

They can. If your bank can’t, go somewhere else. I’m only telling you this because this is what I do for a living. And by the way, all errors are fixable. Just wanted to let you know from someone that actually knows what goes on.

[@TaylorStallings-vm7ru]

​@@tinamoore4310❤

[@ogakemmy5634]

Yep happened to me and was out $2,750 bank closed my account. Luckily I didn’t get to a negative.

[@bruceblackwell2205]

Federal offense if you even look at somebody else's Mail box

[@princeothello5802]

The world has gotten this way because of immortality. Right is wrong and wrong is right in the eyes of an individual.

[@SDALLE99]

Immorality. And no, it hasn’t. The world had always been shitty. Welcome to life. May the old gods bless you

[@itzyaboybugz]

But… wouldn’t they automatically get caught once Funds hit their account? I mean… that’s a heck of a paper trail! Aren’t bank accounts tied to social security numbers and require identification to open?

[@Jenniferkayhart]

You'd think.

[@teflo2]

Makes me think about the old days when I was a teller. Our first job in the morning was to verify signatures. Perhaps it was my intuition, but I've never downloaded a banking app. Now I'm glad. No pictures, no cell phone #'s, no problems so far.

[@ENFPerspectives]

That is horrible!!!!!! The bank should be responsible.

[@jayfromaz]

The TV station should give the tips on how to protect yourself with the story not asking you to go to another site. If these people are going to write checks and they're being stolen from their mailbox then perhaps I should go to the Post Office and mail their checks there. The bank's responsible. They didn't catch obviously forged checks. At that point it's the bank's responsibility not the customers.

[@JesseDicker49]

Criminals are stealing by using paper checks or online. The banks or stores that cash these checks should be held accountable.

[@bgregg55]

"It's just not cost-justified..." because banks aren't required to make good on the losses. If they were, you can be sure they would fix this ASAP.

[@henryklassen3362]

That’s technology for you, it simplifies life, even for the criminals 😬

[@cristelsinamban1394]

Thank you for this very informative video. We must double check everything so that criminals can't make any damage to our bank account.

[@MissElizabeth1920]

This happened to me 2020 2021! I gave the bank and USPS all the information and they didnt do anything about it!

[@lmcc0072]

I rarely write checks anymore because you’re putting your checking account number, name, address, sometimes phone number, etc….for everyone to see. People can literally make a fake check with your information on it from the comfort of their own home.

[@sheliajohnson4127]

This is the same thing that happened with the housing market in 2008. When they started sending loan docs by wire. They were able to forge loan docs. By the time people found their homes were gone.

[@maegary8107]

When I first heard about mobile banking I said all they've done is made it easier for you to get ROBBED.

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Banks save money they tell you it's convenient they just don't want to pay for paper envelopes and postage!!!

[@BL-je3ue]

If the bank accepts the fraudulent check, then the bank should be held liable for the loss.

[@samanthamonroe3826]

exactly!!

[@Bruce_LeRoyy]

I have said this for many years DO NOT do any financial transactions on your phone not even a simple purchase on Amazon!

[@deekang6244]

My bank would never accept a check with a number that has already been used.

[@soulshine8531]

These days I would never put a check out in s regular mailbox for delivery.. what few i send drop at USPS and at least always have a p o box. No mail or packages at a residence or business.

[@georgeh6856]

I lived in Europe for two years. The country I was in did not use checks. Most transfers were done electronically, although cash was still used. Even their electronic transfers seemed much more secure. I would have to use my computer with my bank's website, which then authenticated me using a QR code on the computer screen I would scan with my bank's mobile app on my phone. And that was only after I entered my password on the bank's website and in the app. It worked great. Web purchases were similar, with a common third party doing authentication. Much better than the USA.

[@cakatama9046]

Same with my country too, although I know some companies who still use checks

[@marymadeline9533]

That’s pretty SAD for American Banks

[@sudhirsumongkol8972]

@@marymadeline9533 American Banks or Customers of the banks

[@karend.9218]

Not for nothing but at least 30 years ago in Canada, our post office installed locked post box stands. So, checks don’t get stolen. Sure, no individual mail boxes outside homes but fraud and identity theft is rare. These banks of 45 boxes are located on the streets in our neighbourhoods.

[@vmobile890]

Banks of multi locked boxes being broken into even in gated communities .

[@islandgirl8199]

So, question is: how do you prevent check frauds???

[@MH-oc4de]

If a criminal deposits a check via mobile app, then the criminal has an account at the bank. Why can't the bank figure out what account the fraudulent check was deposited to and find that account owner ?

[@dequanlowe2528]

we use burner accounts

[@DeniseRobinson-bc6ge]

@daquanlowe2528 Do u have a telegram or WhatsApp?

[@NormanF62]

My bank put restriction on the amount of money I can personally deposit. What they still can’t do is limit who they can accept checks from. Its convenient for their customers but unfortunately criminals also can take advantage of it. Its so easy to get paid because by the time the bank’s security department has uncovered the fraud, the crime’s done.

[@FC-qe1wl]

Why would the bank limit deposits ?

[@daviddrake2775]

It hoot past the bank because third party checks are not reviewed until a complaint is filed. BofA did this in my account. The check was hand-drawn, but because it was cashed at Wells, BofA did not a it ration it.

[@tinamoore4310]

I’m a bank Operations employee. If your bank doesn’t ask you to write “for mobile deposit “, or check the box that says “for mobile or remote deposit “, go somewhere else. Damn, we are a small town bank and know how to stop fraud. This is not rocket science, people.

[@paulromsky9527]

That taking a photo of a check has to stop. In the 90's banks started to use micro-print on the checks. Look closely at the signature line - it is not a line but tiny words that a photocopier or a photo will blur. Crooks don't even have to steal your checks, they can "borrow" them to to get the account info and then put them back in your mail box. I showed how easy it was. I took a scan of one of my blank checks. Then using a simple imaging program I bumped up the check number, filled out the rest, signed it, and cashed it with a phone app. It went through. Those routing numbers on the check are in magnetic ink too, so why do banks allow photos! It defaults all the fraud prevention they put on them.

[@betsybarnicle8016]

They don't care.

[@robinsydney140]

Banks are a joke these days. When I went to change a $100 bill into $20's, the teller asked me to swipe my card. If not, he wouldn't have given me the change. But, they let these thieves get away with thousands of dollars.

[@generalbarry]

Banks don't validate checks unless and until someone (the victim) challenges the transaction.

[@sherrykreminski4771]

I don’t do mobile check depositing, I hope that the criminals are watching this because I hope these criminals get arrested

[@angelavanhorn2325]

It also be law, that thieves will have their photos posted in lobby in every banks, small banks and big banks across country, small town and big cities, on bulletin, etc., stores, restaurant, gas station, churches, everywhere ...! The punishment of shamed for victimized others...asap!! We must working on laws to pass asap!!

[@cynthiacole6140]

I use a small credit union with only 3 branches. They are on top of things, better than any big bank I used to use!

[@WindTurbineSyndrome]

Me too.

[@keilana6]

Me too. They found possible fraudulent charges before I did & froze debit card.

[@johnbenn2481]

That's why I haven't use bank checks in years and I have postal money orders to pay my bills gives me more pease of mind

[@michaelbagley9116]

You should be checking your bank accounts on a regular basis that is actually set up by your contract. In most institutions, you have 72 hours or so to find fraud. Fraud alerts for levels of checks and instruments is essential to management of money. You need to set down with a banker and decide how to deal with this.

[@ddebenedictis]

That is good advice. In my prior job as head of accounting, I checked the bank accounts every day, which takes just a few minutes. Even better, we signed up for our bank's program that requires us to pre-register every payment with them. If a check would be presented on our account that we had not written and registered, the bank would not honor it. At first I thought it was a nuisance but it became an easy habit and eliminated the chance of this type of fraud. We could also register those vendors we regularly pay by ACH and those would go through automatically. Really a great system!

[@1drummer172]

Checks are inconvenient and make you vulnerable to fraud. I stopped ordering checks for my checking accounts over 10 years ago.

[@puravida5683]

I used U.S. checks living in Central America for 8 years, never an issue! America is exceptional, when it comes to criminal activity.

[@natashanonnattive4818]

Yeah until their computer is out then if you don't have one OH WELL

[@rikicakecreations1615]

Here in South Africa we don't use cheques or mail boxes for many years.... Too risky

[@joemunch58]

Not my area of law, but I recall from law school that a check that is not "properly payable" is the bank's problem. The bank must refund amounts paid on checks that aren't "properly payable." That includes forged checks. Banks have insurance directed at covering bad checks.

[@nightmare348]

The banks definitely don't seem to care if their customers are scammed. They definitely care if THEIR money ends up disappearing though!

[@allensprouse2984]

First offenders should be fined and be made to pay restitution; but second time offenders should lose all their fingers and their freedom for many years! As far as losing their fingers make it simple and just use an axe, don’t waste painkillers on them, it’s just part of the punishment!

[@titanproductions3628]

Lol, you're mad

[@sungshin393]

That’s too harsh punishment! They need to eat and sleep

[@olund88]

If they are messing with a mailbox 📬 it's a federal offense

[@LetsDanceTampa]

@@sungshin393 The people they robbed needed to eat and sleep too and I bet they lost sleep! Screw the thieves. Maybe just cut one finger off to start....next offense, 2 fingers..etc

[@LetsDanceTampa]

@@titanproductions3628 you must have never been through the nightmare of being robbed! Screw the thieves.

[@nicoleschlecht8393]

I am a victim I had hundreds of dollars stolen out of my account and ended up having my account closed and everything because of it they put a total mess of chaos in my life even got me locked out of my personal online account such as Facebook and Google it was a disaster

[@rosepetals8181]

You would think That's the banks fault...THEIR SUPPOSE TO PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNTS! WHATS THEY'RE PURPOSE THEN??? THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE!

[@mclome22]

😂😂😂

[@islandgirl8199]

I don’t do mobile banking. I take time to go inside the bank to do my business. I don’t do ATMs either.

[@jimholloway9850]

Saudi Arabia has an effective way of dealing with thieves.

[@TSquared2001]

This happened to me. Thankfully I have an indelible gel ink pen and have threshold alerts on my account now. Anything beyond the threshold, the bank needs to get my approval to payout the check.

[@newbeginnings9457]

Stop using checks!

[@astairawood9189]

Banks do not do their due diligence 🤬

[@BoxOChocolateMedia]

This is why I’ve NEVER ordered checks for my accounts.

[@TheBloodshotFilms]

Couldn't they have a QR code on checks that applies only to that checks # ? Or some other way to differentiate a fraudulent check from a real one. Similar to how they do with money?

[@angelavanhorn2325]

For exmp, in small town, every banks must required to posting thieves photo every month ...

[@mikeanderson9266]

Lock them up!! Let's all join up to catch the criminals.

[@stevenbrown4315]

Call mail fraud and see what happens jurisdictions of UPU.

[@blancobull]

I bet if a politician in your city had their cut, cut, there would be no problem figuring out who is involved and they monies returned in a reasonable amount of time. Which the banks themselves define as 30 days.

[@rayjohnson9781]

Well I just learned everything I need to know to go into business for myself and that I probably won’t get caught. This news station should be called crime university.

[@Xorcist777]

I have been going through the same ordeal for two months now. This phone deposit has to be stopped or something! People getting hacked on online banking , on checks they write, how are we supposed to pay our hard earned money without getting taken by thieves.

[@Tinbender-zr4jd]

Ever hear of locking mailboxes? I have one and unlike my neighbors, I have never had any mail stolen.

[@clintwestwood2731]

If the robbers deposit the check then the bank know exactly who is cashing these checks.

[@MikePowlas]

Nope.

[@gr8ride411]

Pretty obvious that those banking institutions need to Up their fraud detection game. Mobile Banking should be an Opt-In feature with financial institutions to help avoid some of these issues. Get a different bank….😳

[@stoneywegner752]

*YES CONTACT*

[@stoneywegner752]

*+1*

[@stoneywegner752]

*240*

[@stoneywegner752]

*934*

[@stoneywegner752]

*00*

[@bgregg55]

Use un-removable ink to write checks. Get the check-safe pens most anywhere now or just use a sharpie permanent marker. Never use a ballpoint pen.

[@CCFONESOL]

Never put a check in an unsecured mail box

[@watershed44]

*I think this kind of fraud if proven against the suspect, should result in at least 50 years in prison with no early parole*. THE FIRST TIME they are convicted!

[@sherryhillman9197]

They would have to build more prison to hold that many people for 50 years.

[@watershed44]

@@sherryhillman9197 Then death sentence .

[@ms.fravell7606]

They're probly even using stolen PC's to do their stealing with !!

[@fwu-finallywakingup6033]

Wtf is wrong with you? Go to hell

[@PhearaXT]

That’s scary!

[@user-nq4ui5og5d]

Yea bro👆👆👆

[@user-nq4ui5og5d]

Yea bro 👆 👆👆

[@malavoy1]

If the check is stolen from your mail box, report it to the Postal Inspectors. It's a federal crime, not just a local police crime.

[@sunlite9759]

No mobile on my cell phone. There is coming a time when banks will lose all credibility and function and will be useless. Banks will not be able to electronically store your cash.

[@Janedoe-mo6nj]

How can they allow them to get away with it? These criminals used their checking accounts to deposit these into, so they can be caught.

[@LeekMontana]

And why would they use their own? 🤔

[@jw200]

They don't use their own accounts. Use logic

[@Janedoe-mo6nj]

@@jw200 They are using someone's account, use logic too. You can't just make a fake bank account.

[@roadrunner40]

Somebody's ID and social security number is tied to that account.

[@ebk_zax5th289]

@@Janedoe-mo6nj all I gotta do to get your credit card info is hack the website you made a purchase on there are billions of websites like there are Bank Accounts. And yet u still dare tell the dude to use logic too ?

[@Prolificposter]

If banks did not offer these services, the customers would be complaining about that. Monitor your accounts online to make sure there are no authorized transactions. If you have to mail a check, send from the post office or business center like Staples. Never use curbside drop boxes which are susceptible to all kinds of fraud. I know of one instance where somebody put glue in the slot of the mailbox, so quickly dropping it in the slot would cause the envelope to stick so it could just be removed by the scammer who would get a check to alter.

[@annbet3684]

Scammers can download malware password get stolen

[@Truthseeker371]

Identity theft is prevalent in Australia, too. Don't throwaway bank statements or anything important in the bins. Shred or burn.

[@KevinInPhoenix]

Why wouldn't they drop their outgoing mail at the post office? Putting outgoing checks in your home mailbox is lazy and not smart.